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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/28897860">Finding Home</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sutaoris/pseuds/Sutaoris'>Sutaoris</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Yes, Wolf [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>EXO (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alpha Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Alpha Lu Han (EXO), Alpha/Alpha, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Wolves, Beta Kim Jongdae | Chen, Canon-Typical Behavior, Eventual Smut, Hand Jobs, Happy Ending, Implied/Referenced Homophobia, M/M, Mates, Mild Hurt/Comfort, Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Not Beta Read, Omega Verse, Pack Dynamics, Polyamory, Self-Esteem Issues, Trapped, Werewolf Mates, Wolves</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-13 09:55:07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Explicit</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,721</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/28897860</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sutaoris/pseuds/Sutaoris</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Minseok and Luhan are stuck in a cage in human settlement, unable to shift or have any sort of freedom after leaving their old pack. But when they met a fellow wolf, Jongdae, things take a turn for the better for all three of them. </p><p> </p><p>This work is a part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Kim Jongdae | Chen/Kim Minseok | Xiumin, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Kim Minseok | Xiumin/Lu Han, Kim Jongdae | Chen/Lu Han, Kim Minseok | Xiumin/Lu Han</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Yes, Wolf [1]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050104</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>48</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Finding Home</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>This work is a part of a series, but can be read as a stand alone.</p><p>I've had these three's story stuck in my head for a while, and I finally managed to write it out. I hope you like it.</p><p>Please make sure to check the tags for any warning. I feel like this one is pretty mild compared to the other works in this series, but there is still issues and feeling to be explored.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“They’re such fierce-looking things, aren’t they? I could get them to tear out the throat of a man if I wished.”</p><p>The woman didn’t listen to the man’s words, reaching out and attempting to pet Luhan's head of his wolf form. As expected, he snapped at her,  snarling, teeth on full display, showing his displeasure in any way he could. Minseok stood still as the man pet his own head, despite hating the feeling of his fingers touching his fur. Luhan would be cleaning him later for sure.</p><p>Instantly the woman squealed, pulling back her hand with a stunned look on her face as if she hadn’t just been warned. </p><p>The man chuckled. “It looks like my pets are done being shown.” He pulled his finger away much to Minseok’s relief, but his words brought little comfort to the wolf.</p><p>Within moments the long, metal chain connected to the two wolves' collars were being pulled, dragging them back to the cell the wolves spent most of their time in when their ‘owner’ wasn’t showing them off. Luhan shook against the chain, but with a harsh tug, he was forced to submit, slowly following Minseok.</p><p>Minseok understood why Luhan fought, everything inside him screamed to do so as well. But his mind told him to save his energy, any time now there would be a chance to escape and he wanted to be ready. </p><p>Once they were in the cell, the chain was once again hooked to the ring on the wall, and the wolves were left alone there in a cold, dark prison they had spent all too long in.</p><p>Minseok couldn’t even remember how long they had been stuck here, trapped in his wolf form for too long, his human aspects feeling like a distant memory. Sometimes he had dreams of traveling in his two-legged form, carrying things, speaking, making him ache for freedom once more. To speak properly, to hear words, eat real food, there were things you could only have in human form.</p><p>Beside him he saw Luhan struggle, his body shaking as there were cracking sounds, once again trying to shift, as he did every time they were shown off. He started to shift, but quickly the collar started to dig into his throat, cutting off the air and his skin alike, forcing him to stop and revert back to wolf form. The Metal Collars were just the perfect size to hurt them if they tried to transform, barring them from escaping. </p><p>The only good thing was the Humans' lack of knowledge of what they actually were. He simply thought they were giant wolves he had managed to trap, Luhan being on one who had stepped in the bear trap, and Minseok not able to transform before the humans had arrived.</p><p>It made Minseok nervous to think what he would do if he figured out what they really were. He already saw them as war dogs, if he knew they could understand him, the ideas of horror were endless.</p><p>Letting out a loud huff, Luhan flopped against Minseok, nuzzling him. The other wolf did the same, before slowly lowering to the ground, the two of them resting with each other. Even with how things were, they were together still, were fed, and had some sort of roof over the head. It could have been much worse, though the circumstances were anything but ideal. </p><p>Speaking of food, the humans wouldn’t bring it until the next morning, so the wolves simply had to huddle together, waiting for sleep to take them and their next meal to arrive. </p><p>One day, they would be free. </p><p>Weeks passed, they were brought out once or twice, then thrown right back in their prison to stew in their minds. Sometimes the two would fight just to do something, but they couldn’t do much, they humans not understanding and having in the past trying to separate them. </p><p>Minseok caught a whiff of something familiar in the air, Luhan also snapping his head in the direction of their feeder. The man was the same as usual, tossing the meat chucking in the cage without care, but on his clothes were the traces of something, something that made Minseok's heart go crazy in his chest. </p><p>The scent of a wolf clung to his clothing. The scent was so faint he thought he might be crazy, but Luhan had caught it as well. </p><p>Another day passed, the same thing happening. The food was tossed and the scent was brought to them, stronger than before, but still lacking. The next day, the same thing. Each time the wolves would look on, hoping for a sign, anything.</p><p>On the fourth day, things were different. They could smell the freshly roasted meat before they had even seen the man carrying it, a different man than the usual one. This one was much younger, a pep in his step and a smile on his face. His cheekbones stood out, along with the almost cat-like lips he wore with the grin. </p><p>It was only when he was in front of the cage did Minseok catch the wolf scent, the strongest it had ever been. </p><p>“I figured you guys would like something nice to eat.” His voice was higher pitched than expected, opening the metal door and setting down the tray on the floor. Two massive chunks of roasted meat lay on the tray, the first cooked food they had ever gotten while being trapped. </p><p>“Sungho didn’t like the idea, but I convince him it’s healthy for wolves to eat cooked food sometimes.”</p><p>Luhan stared at the man, then at the food, clearly thinking it over. But Minseok didn’t hesitate, tearing into the meat, relishing in the taste. Whatever the guy had done had made it amazing, or maybe he really just had low standards with how long it had been. When he saw Minseok was fine, Luhan joined him in eating. </p><p>“I know it’s a bit soon, but I can try and get you out tonight.” The man continued to chatter, “I was going to be more careful, but this town sucks and I have no use in coming back. Do you want to leave?”</p><p>Aggressively Luhan nodded his head, Minseok quickly mirroring him. In any other situation, he would be hesitant to trust a wolf he had just met, but the thought of freedom weighed heavier. Besides, if it was a trick, nothing about the man said he was an Alpha, so it was unlikely he could take on a pair of them. </p><p>Another grin formed on his face, a quiet pleasant look if Minseok was to be honest.</p><p>“Jongdae, I hope you aren’t messing around with those vermin!” A voice yelled, making the man flinch. Who Minseok could now assume was Jongdae, quickly grabbed the tray from the ground, backing away. </p><p>“Then just trust me, Alright. I’ll get you out, I swear on the moon.” </p><p>Since they had no other choice, the two wolves were left to wait. </p><p> </p><p>---<br/>
--<br/>
---<br/>
--<br/>
---</p><p>Minseok was awoken from his sleep by the sound of the metal door creaking shut, the scent of Jongdae back. In his hands looked to be large, metal scissors, thick and sharp enough to cut through metal. “I couldn’t find the key, but this should work. We have to be quick, it's going to be loud.”</p><p>Luhan pushed Minseok forward, signaling he wanted him undone first. Jongdae took the hint, kneeling down and carefully wiggling the cutter around the collar, trying his best not to cut into the wolf's skin. He could feel the blade on his flesh, pushing up against him, but it didn’t cut into his flesh. With a massive amount of effort, Jongdae pushed the blades together, snapping part of the collar. It took another attempt for the collar to break, freeing Minseok for the first time. </p><p>As Minseok took in the lack of restraint, Jongdae moved onto Luhan, doing the same process and freeing him. The snapping sound was indeed loud, and Jongdae was quick to set down the cutter and usher them along. They followed him in wolf form, knowing it would be stupid to running around naked with two legs, and that they were much faster like this. Their savior walked quickly, expertly weaving them through the lines of buildings and houses, knowing each ally and place they could hide when a human was spotted. </p><p>It wasn’t long before they made it outside the rickety wall that surrounded the city, Jongdae stopping at a barn just a short distance from the wall.. Once they were inside, he began to talk, much softer than they had ever heard. </p><p>“I don’t know if you guys have anywhere to return to, but you are more than welcome to join me at my home. You just need to follow me. But I’ll understand if you have somewhere else to go.” </p><p>A bitter feeling formed in Minseok’s gut, remembering why they had gotten caught in the first place, having to flee their pack and its judgment. There was nowhere they had to go, packs didn’t like Alpha’s being together, thinking it was a crime of nature. Jongdae either hadn’t picked up on the fact that Minseok and Luhan were together, or didn’t notice they were both Alphas. Both weren’t exactly good, but with the way he spoke, he seemed to genuinely want to help them regardless. </p><p>Quickly Jongdae stripped, then shifted into his wolf form. As predicted, the wolf was a bit smaller with brown fur with lighter, almost red-tinted areas. Notably, one of his paws was white, the color crawling about halfway up his leg. Not the most common look for a wolf, but it had a charm to it. </p><p>After staring at the pair for a moment, the Beta turned, walking towards the forest in the distance. Without bothering to check, Minseok began to follow, hoping Luhan had the same idea. It took a moment, but soon he felt his lover’s presence at his side, the two of them trekking behind the beta.</p><p>The journey was long, Jongdae only stopping before nightfall, sniffing the area for twice as long as it took Luhan to pick up the lack of wolf scent. He did manage to catch some small game, offering to the Alpha’s, but they were more than happy to hunt for themselves for now. Nothing could replace the feeling of chasing down a rabbit, catching it, claiming the victory. It was something small, but going for a deer wasn’t the best idea while traveling. </p><p>Jongdae ate and simply went to sleep, not bothering to shift and try to talk to them. Minseok and Luhan did take the chance despite the cool night air. </p><p>Minseok barely had time to let his bone finish setting before Luhan was on top of him, lips taken by the other Alpha. They kissed, hard and full of passion, making up for all the time they hadn’t been able to. Before they would fight for dominance, to be in control, but right now Minseok didn’t want that. He just wanted Luhan to be there, to be happy, to do as he pleased. It was difficult, but he forced himself to relax and let the other take control. </p><p>The older Alpha moved, trailing kisses to his neck. While before he would nibble away, leaving marks and bruises, wanting to claim, he hesitated. After one last soft kiss on his flesh, he pulled back, a frown on his face as he traced his lover's throat. “I don’t want to ever see anything on your throat again.”</p><p>Yeah, Minseok felt that, After seeing Luhan try to shift so much with that wretched thing, he hated seeing any mark on him. Maybe with some time, but for now it wasn’t right. </p><p>“Then claim me somewhere else.” He was no fool, he knew that was the thing Luhan had wanted most, as did he. That had been their intention before they had gotten caught, keeping them from becoming mates. Despite the fact they were in the middle of the woods in an unknown place, with an unknown amount of time in their journey, they needed it.</p><p> Now.</p><p>Eyes traveled down Minseok's body, intense, inspecting every inch. Luhan took hold of each of his legs, spreading them, head coming to hover next to his left inner thigh. His breath ghosted over the flesh, sending tingles of anticipation up his spine. “You’re mine.” His voice was low, filled with authority. </p><p>“I always have been.” Minseok answered, running his fingers through the older Alpha’s hair. It was all he needed, teeth sinking down into the tender flesh, marking him for the rest of time. A burning pain surged through Minseok, but it was quickly taken over by a flood of good feelings as Luhan licked the wound clean. When he was done, he pulled Minseok close, watching over him as he came down from the mess of feelings wrecking his body. </p><p>He hadn’t even realized he had passed out until he felt a wet nose push against him, opening his eyes to see Jongdae standing before him, still in wolf form. Minseok felt Luhan's arms around him, realizing they had slept in human form despite the cold. As wonderful as it felt to be held by his mate, he knew Jongdae was trying to tell them they needed to go. </p><p>Waking up Luhan was easy, and the two were quick to shift forms and follow Jongdae again. They ended up doing the same as before, following Jongdae all day, finding a place to sleep,  Jongdae looking around for way too long, the beta offering them food, then passing out still as a wolf. The pair took the opportunity to shift, talking a bit before they two decided to sleep. </p><p>It was only when the sun was high in the sky 2 days later, did things really change. Minseok had picked up the scent of wolves, clearly a pack of them in the distance. The beta was still going in that direction, leading Minseok to believe it had to be his pack. They got closer and closer, there was a  nervousness rolling under Minseok's skin over the thought of meeting new wolves. </p><p>What if they hated that two Alpha’s were mates? Jongdae hadn’t told them anything about his pack, for all he knew they could be worse than his old one. But Jongdae clearly knew they were mated now, not seeming to care, and was still getting them to follow. Surely his pack couldn’t be that bad?</p><p>When the scent of wolves was thick in the air and Minseok was certain they weren’t too far away, Jongdae suddenly changed directions, his pace picking up into more of a run. </p><p>But it was far too late for them to avoid the wolves before them. </p><p>The other wolves broke through the trees, An Alpha instantly snarling at Jongdae, snapping at him. He dodged, trying to go to the side again, but another wolf stepped forward, teeth on full display. All four wolves had their full attention on Jongdae, the hostility unbearable. </p><p>It was Luhan who stepped forward first, growing at the other wolves. The Alpha looked to him, snarling, before taking a step towards Jongdae again. The Beta took a step back, bumping into Luhan. He let out a low whine, scared, before shrinking down to the ground. But Luhan had his full attention on the Alpha challenging him. </p><p>A blood bath was the last thing Minseok wanted today. Quickly, he moved forward, nipping at Jongdae, signaling for him to lead again. The Beta hesitated, still hunched down, before slowly rising. After another glance at the wolves, he darted away faster than they had ever seen him move. Even with Luhan's warning growls, one of the wolves took after the fleeing Beta. </p><p>Minseok was on the wolf within a moment, tearing into his flesh. The wolf let out a pained yelp, stumbling, his pack mates stunned. Undeterred, Minseok let out a throaty growl, warning them they two would get their legs torn into if they tried anything. The three other wolves paced but made no movement in the direction Jongdae had gone. </p><p>After waiting, Minseok took off in the direction Jongdae went, tracking the faint remains of his scent. It didn’t take long for him to hear steps behind him, Luhan joining him. The tree’s started to thin, the sound of rushing water filling his ears. The spotted Jongdae sitting at the water's edge, where a few logs were stuck on the water as a makeshift bridge. When he saw the two Alpha break through the trees, the Beta perked up.</p><p>He waited until the Alphas were at the water before he slowly crossed the logs, careful not to slip. On the other side of the bridge was the start of a mountain, Jongdae making his way up with little hesitation. Sometime later they made it to a sort of flat part, the beta leading them to a cave carved into the side. </p><p>The space was clearly lived in, after only a few steps in Minseok spotted the makeshift chests, bedding, clothing, the basic needs of a wolf. A few furs were piled up, there looked to be a fire pit, and the scent of dried meat clung to the air. The scent of other wolves also hung in the air like a distant memory, even fainter than Jongdae’s was at times. </p><p>Whoever else had been here was long gone.</p><p>After stumbling a bit, Jongdae shifted for the first time in days, a giant grin back on his face. “It's not much, but please make yourselves at home.” He waved his hand around the cave,  before kneeling down by the firepit and trying to light scraps of woods left in it. “I for one, am starving and very excited to eat some soup. Do you guys want soup?” </p><p>The Beta continued to chat about soup as the two Alpha shifted into their two-legged forms. The spot appeared to be decent. The space was large, but not so large it would get too cold, but enough that if it rained they could escape from it. There looked to be more than enough things for the three of them, Jongdae must have stockpiled for a while. </p><p>After exploring the space a bit and getting more comfortable, the pair was indeed presented with bowls of soup, more than happy to eat a real meal. While they ate slowly, Jongade quickly finished off his food, cleaning his bowl and organizing the whole small cooking space by the time the Alpha’s finished. When they were done, he took their bowls and cleaned them as well. </p><p>Odd, but Minseok chalked it up to Jongdae wanting to be a good host. </p><p>The next day Minseok and Luhan went hunting in the early morning, scoping out the area and seeing how good the hunting grounds were. The terrain was something new to work with, but it didn’t take them long to find any prey. But they didn’t go for the first bunny they saw, no, they kept moving until Luhan caught wind of a deer, chasing it down with little hesitation. Minseok followed suit, enjoying the adrenal rush as he chased the creature down.</p><p>The wide eyes look Jongdae gave when they returned with a deer made things better, the Beta clearly impressed by their catch. “I’ve never been able to catch a deer by myself, look at all that fur!.” He commented, looking down at the deer. The kill was a bit sloppy, some of the furs would be unusable, but there was still plenty to use. </p><p>“You can have the fur.” Luhan offered, even catching Minseok off guard. “Use it however you like.”</p><p> Minseok wasn’t against the idea of giving Jongdae the fur, but as their first official kill, he had expected his mate to want to keep it so they could start building their own collection. With how happy Jongdae looked with the fur, it did feel like the right choice to give it to the beta. </p><p>“Thank you so much!” Jongdae bowed, fingers skimming over the fur, that bright smile he liked to wear gracing his face. </p><p>That night they once again had some delicious roasted meat with a side of roasted vegetables, the Beta constantly offering them more to eat. “Please, eat as much as you want, there is plenty of food stored up,” he said, plopping another strip of meat on the Minseok plate. He did not do the same to Luhan, clearly intimidated by the older Alpha. Though the Beta did offer another piece of meat to him. </p><p>Minseok had grown very appreciative of Jongdae’s lack of judgment. While he did wish the Beta wasn’t so scared of his mate, he understood where he was coming from. Luhann could be pretty intimidating when you were first getting to know him.</p><p>While one or both of the Alpha’s would hunt each morning, Minseok didn’t miss how Jongdae was always doing something throughout the entire day. Every meal he cooked, then cleaned up. Constantly he was mending clothes or working on making new blankets or pillows, organizing, working on the small garden he had, it was rare to see the Beta sitting still. There was little work left for the Alpha’s to even attempt to do. </p><p> Once when Minseok awoke in the middle of the night, he spotted the Beta huddled by the remains of the fire, stitching on one of the shirts that had gotten ripped. Even in the low light, he could see the bags under his eyes, the tiredness carved into his face. Yet he still worked, not even looking up as Minseok went to relieve himself. </p><p>That morning on their hunt, Minseok caught the faint scent of other wolves for the first time other than the cave. It had blown downwind, meaning they had been nearby, but not exactly in the area. When he asked Jongdae, The Beta’s sunshine smile faltered, before he forced it back on his face. </p><p>“There is a pack of wolves on the other side of the mountain. We share the mountain, they won’t bother you if we run into them.” He set down the stitching he was working on, stretching out his arms. “I like it here, So I stay here.”</p><p>Something didn’t sit right with Jongdae’s words, but Minseok couldn’t pick out what it was. Jongdae was a very social wolf, so it was odd he didn’t join a pack. But it was clear to see he really loved his space with how well he took care of it, so it wasn’t crazy to think he was telling the truth. </p><p>The words of the Beta were only in his mind for a day or two, Luhan’s rut taking over his attention. He had been lying in the fur where they slept, contemplating on what he should do when he had felt Luhan slip behind him, pressing himself up against him. The Older Alpha’s breathing felt heavy, his lips wasting no time to find Minseok's neck. He ground softly against Minseok, letting his hard cock make itself known. It was no secret his rut would be coming soon, but Minseok was surprised he had missed the warning signs. </p><p>Pushing himself up, Minseok managed to flip over so he could see his mate's face, flushed red with rut. With little thought, he wrapped his hand around Luhan's cock, the other Alpha biting on his lip at the touch. It did little to stop his panting, but the look of him trying to hold back was very sexy. </p><p>With sloppy hand movement he stroked his mate's cock, listening to the happy rumbling coming from his mates chest. He could feel his mates knot start to swell, bulging at the base of his cock. Minseok sped up his movements, cum leaking from the tip in strips of white. It took some work, but he felt the moment Luhan began to shake, spurts of cum shooting out of his dick as he frantically tried to fuck into his mates hand. </p><p>When the cum stopped sputtering out, he massaged the knot presenting to him, hoping it would ease the tension. As he did it, Luhan pulled his face to his, kissing him as if they had just been freed again. </p><p>While it would help a little, Luhan’s rut was far from over, and he would need much more before he would settle. They had tried something out before, even both of them taking the other, but never during rut. At least Minseok had an idea and knew Jongdae had what they would need.</p><p>Much to Luhan’s annoyance, Minseok got up, going over to Jongdae’s stash to find the bottle he had seen before. After finding it, he returned to their sleeping area. He showed his mate the bottle of oil in his hand, reminding him that they would have to put in the extra work. </p><p>“Do you want to do it, or should I?”</p><p>Luhan stared at him, eyes bearing into him silently without an answer.  </p><p>“Okay, I’ll do it this time.”</p><p>After pouring oil on his fingers, Minseok let his fingers travel lower, feeling between his legs and finding his hole. He rubbed his fingers over his entrance, warming up, knowing his body wasn’t prepared for this sort of thing ever. It took some time for him to relax enough to risk pushing even one in, unintentionally tensing up at the intrusion.</p><p>As if that wasn’t enough, Luhan pushed Minseok's legs further apart, inspecting how he was doing. After adding more oil and moving ever so slowly,  he managed to get his entire finger in, carefully moving it, stretching himself out as best he could. With the angle he was at it was a bit awkward, but he wanted to do this.</p><p>Trying to remember how he had done it before, fingering himself, working himself wider, pushing himself to add another finger. It was time-consuming, but Luhan was surprisingly patient, running his hands down Minseok thighs, eyes still glued on the other Alpha’s work.</p><p>This was going to be a long rut.</p><p>---<br/>
--<br/>
---<br/>
--<br/>
---</p><p>“It’s cold Jongdae, come sleep with us.” </p><p>With fall sweeping in, it was hard to miss the dropping temperatures each night. Even Minseok was cold, so he couldn’t imagine Jongdae fairing much better by himself, in the corner he slept in. The Beta shifted in his spot, pulling his blanket around him tighter. “I’m fine.” He insisted, his body shaking in protest of his words. </p><p>With a huff, Luhan stood, stalking over to where Jongdae was. With no warning he scooped the Beta up, a surprised sound escaping from him. The Alpha brought him over to their sleeping area, wedging the Beta between the two Alphas. In case Jongdae got any idea, Luhan wrapped his arms around the betas waist, trapping him between the two Alphas.</p><p>The whole thing was a bit dramatic, but Jongdae quickly relaxed when he realized Luhan wasn’t mad in the slightest. Minseok wouldn’t have gone so far as to drag the other over to them, but it made him feel better to see him stop shivering, his skin growing warmer with time.</p><p>It was with them now being this close, Minseok could truly appreciate the Beta’s scent. Faint as it was, there was a softness to it, not exactly sweet, but comforting and clean. It mixed very well with Luhan's, and he assumed his own.</p><p> Out of all the places they could have ended up, it felt right that Jongdae had found them.</p><p>“I think we should make a hut. For the three of us.”</p><p>Minseok looked up at his mate, liking the idea. “It will be better with the cold.” He agreed. “And it would be nice to have a more set up space. The cave would be great for storage.” They did have some experience in building huts, having helped build a few in their old pack. If they didn’t try to go too big, the three could finish a hut before the first snow hit. </p><p>It took Jongdae a moment to process what the two Alpha’s said, his head cutely tilting as he thought. “That’s a great idea.” He ended up answering, a smile forming on his face. “I’ve always wanted to have a hut.”</p><p>With some discussion and planning, the three set to work on the hut. The Alpha did most of the heavy lifting, not that Jongdae didn’t try to help with those parts two. But with everything else Jongdae did, Minseok tried to not let the Beta overwork. The work was plenty, but slowly the hut came together, from the floor to the support beams, with the wall being worked on and the roof being shaped. </p><p>The further they got into the work, the more excited Jongdae got with the project. “If I can get some extra fabric, I could make covers for the windows! I know how to make them. It helps keep the heat in, and the light out in the morning.” Jongdae shared plenty of ideas, from how he wanted to build a table and chairs, to getting a proper chest or even making a real bed. </p><p>Even when they would be done with work for the day, Jongdae would continue work on whatever side project he had spoken about, only going to bed when Luhan or Minseok would drag him over to their sleeping space. </p><p>During a particularly heavy, cold rain, it was decided that the mates would not work on the hut. Though Jongdae insisted he wanted to finish off the wall he had been working on, promising to come back to the cave as soon as he was done. Knowing that his mind couldn’t be changed, neither of the Alpha tried to stop the excited Beta. </p><p>Hours later when Jongdae had not returned inside, Luhan left the cave, coming back with the squirming Jongdae over his shoulder, high pitched whines leaving the Beta. “I was almost done.” He complained, Luhan only grunting and setting him on the furs. Moving closer, Minseok saw that Jongdae’s face was flushed, his body drenched as his breath came out a bit wheezy. </p><p>A hand placed on Jongdae’s forehead told the Alpha all he needed. “You’re getting sick, you shouldn’t have gone out there.” Minseok chastised, grabbing a cloth to wipe the Beta down. All he got was another whine, Jongdae curling up next to him. With how bad he looked already, he must have been feeling off before he even went out in the rain, yet he had still gone to work. </p><p>As the night wore on, Jongdae’s condition only got worse. His fever grew worse as he began to sweat like crazy, shaking as he tried to sleep. Just when he would begin to fall asleep, he would startle awake with a coughing fit, curling into himself even more. The pair tried their best to take care of him, Minseok there with soup and water, Luhan wrapping him up every time he wiggled free. One of them was always there, if not both of them, taking care of him best they could. </p><p>The night was long, but by the time the morning broke the rain had gone, and Luhan had offered to go hunt. After checking to see that Jongdae and seemed to be doing a little better as he had managed to fall asleep, Minseok wrapped his arms around the Beta and allowed himself a moment of rest. </p><p>When he woke again, Jongdae was still asleep, so Minseok took the opportunity to go out and see if he could pick something fresh to eat. There were a few choices of vegetables left in the garden, and he found himself picking a few things out. A few weeds were starting to poke out of the ground, and Minseok felt compelled to deal with them sooner than later. </p><p>As he was finishing off the weeds around the onions, he heard a quiet whine come from the cave. Instantly he was to his feet, vegetables forgotten as he ran back to the cave. Jongdae was no longer in the sleeping area, but back in his own area, an assortment of boxes pulled out from his collection. A few were open, showing an arrangement of herbs and plants. </p><p>Jongdae was bent over, heaving heavily at the floor. He shook, before throwing up on the stone, letting out another whine as he struggled to keep himself upright. In one of his hands was some sort of plant clutched tightly, a bit of the plant as he looked up at Minseok with blurred eyes, tears streaming down his face. </p><p>“What did you do?” Minseok’s voice came out much harsher than he had intended, too shocked by the scene before him. </p><p>More tears rolled down Jongdae cheeks as he clutched his stomach. “I-I though-t it w-would help.” He mumbled, before throwing up again. He slumped down, barely missing the mess he had made on the floor. He looked even worse than the day before, now sickly pale and barely looking awake. </p><p>“Hey, hey, it's okay. Just stay with me until I can get you back to bed, alright?” Minseok spoke much softer, realizing that he must have been stressing out Jongdae even more. Carefully he picked up the Beta, bringing him back to the furs. Jongdae’s eyes fluttered, struggling to keep them open. </p><p>“I don’t want to mess up your bed.” His voice was hoarse as he struggled to sit up, but Minseok pushed him back down. </p><p>“I care about you more than any bed, Jongdae.” He pushed back the Beta’s hair, smiling down at him. “Let me take care of you, okay?”</p><p>A mumble came from Jongdae, words Minseok couldn’t begin to understand. But he did end up relaxing, sink down into the furs. Minseok didn’t move, staying at his side until Luhan returned, instantly picking up his worse condition. </p><p>“He ate some sort of plant, trying to heal himself.” Minseok explained, Luhan frowning. “I don’t know why he didn’t ask for help, but I’m worried. He cares so much for us, yet he doesn’t care for himself.”</p><p>“Let's keep a better eye on him then. We have plenty of food, We don’t need to hunt.”</p><p>Jongdae mostly slept for three days, only waking up to throw up or attempt to eat, each time looking very out of it and whining like a pup, asking for comfort. The two Alpha’s indulged him, allowing him to curl up on them, stroke his hair, or feed him by hand. Slowly he got better, getting to the point where he could stand by himself without being wobbly. </p><p>Then Luhan caught him trying to go back to work, despite the fact he still wasn’t fully healed. </p><p>“I’m good, I can work again.” Jongdae insisted. But Luhan wouldn’t budge, standing between the beta in the cave entrance. When he tried to sidestep the Alpha, Luhan let out a low growl, making him shrink back.</p><p>“No work until you are fully healed. Go back to the bed.” His words were harsh and commanding, His need to be the controlling Alpha peaking out. “Don’t make me hold you down until you're better. ” </p><p>The threat was there, looming, and Jongdae was forced to go back to bed. Normally, Minseok didn’t like when Luhan acted out, at least towards others who didn’t know how to deal with it. But this time, he agreed. Jongdae needed to get better, and the soft approach wasn’t helping him. </p><p>“Hey.” Minseok sat next to the defeated Beta, offering him a small smile. “He’s just worried about you, we both are.” Jongdae sighed, fidgeting with his hands. If he was barred from doing anything, he was sure to go stir crazy and resent the Alphas. Their goal was not to torment the poor guy further. </p><p>“Is there anything you’ll let me do?” His voice was quiet and hesitant, eyes downcast with defeat.  Minseok looked around the cave, there had to be something that wouldn’t strain the Beta. He caught sight of the sewing set Jongdae had built up, the basket sitting over by the beta’s sleeping area. </p><p>The Alpha quickly got the basket, handing it over to the Beta. But not wanting him to do any late-night session of fixing anything, Minseok grabbed one of the fabrics Jongdae had talked about making windows coverings from. “Why don’t you add some details or designs for the windows? I’m sure you can make something pretty without straining yourself.” </p><p>A smile graced the Beta’s face, taking the fabric from the Alpha. Luhan looked annoyed, But Minseok stared him down, letting him silently know he was standing firm on this. Luhan ended up looking away, submitting with a small grunt. </p><p>---<br/>
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---</p><p>When they were certain Jongdae wasn’t going to overwork it with his new task, they invited him to sit outside the cave and chat with them while they finished the hut. He tested boundaries, moving closer, walking through the structure and pointing out things, but Jongdae seemed to be careful not to do anything that would be considered too much. As the roof was finished and the final touches were made to the structure, Jongdae no longer showed signs of fatigue or illness and was more than happy to do a final sweep of the space. </p><p>“I love it.” Jongdae ran his fingers over the wood grain of the door, before reaching to open it. The space was a decent size, with wood floors and windows on each wall to bring in a good amount of natural light. They had the foresight to build a small space in the far wall that could hold a fire, the space having a stone layer and opening to vent any smoke. </p><p>This winter, the cold wouldn’t be an issue.</p><p>“I’m glad we got it done before it started to snow.” Minseok looked out to the garden that was starting to wither as the end of fall swept in. “With where we are, the winters must get pretty harsh.” They could survive any weather, but their two-legged form became much harder to use with the cold, and Jongdae clearly favored his with how long he had stayed in it.  </p><p>“The winters have been alright. It’s always easier with more wolves.” Jongdae paused, the light leaving his eyes as his face slipped into a more neutral expression. There was something lurking there, but before Minseok could even think to ask Jongdae was moving around him and out the door. “It’s best to prepare while we can!” His voice accrued a fake cheeriness, which he could have almost gotten away with since he was facing away. </p><p>But he didn’t and Minseok found himself reaching out to the beta. </p><p>“What’s wrong?” The Alpha asked, using a soft voice so as to not startle Jongdae. “Something’s up.”</p><p> After a moment, Jongdae turned, a fake smile plastered on his face. Gently he placed a hand over where Minseok had grabbed him. “It’s nothing, I just remembered something, that’s all.”</p><p>Minseok didn’t push it. As much as he cared, if Jongdae didn’t want to talk about it, he wouldn’t force it out as long as he wasn’t being too poorly affected. Luhan would be a wild card, it could go either way with how he would react. He needed to keep an eye on the both of them.</p><p>Things went back to normal, both the good and bad. </p><p>They moved everything they needed into the hut, leaving the rest in the cave for storage. As usual, Jongdae took over, insisting on packing and moving everything he could, then arranging it in the hut. Again, he seemed to be constantly on the move, working until well after the sunset. With their new space, the fire could keep it full of light at all hours. </p><p>They found the Beta still up at dawn when the Alpha would prepare to hunt, Jongdae busy working on sewing all things, thick furrs in his hands working on something that looked like an absolute mess. It looked to be some sort of coat, but it was clear he had no idea what he was doing and struggling to complete the project. </p><p>His eyes looked bloodshot, heavy, dark circles beneath them. His breathing was uneven with frustration, his body bent over in an uncomfortable position, the scent of blood faint in the air. Upon moving closer, Minseok noted the blood specks of where he had accidentally poked himself. </p><p>“You need to sleep, Jongdae.’ The beta flinched at his words, looking up in complete shock. Minseok and Luhan hadn’t been quiet since they had seen Jongdae was awake, so the fact he hadn’t noticed them was alarming. Luhan picked up on the fact, moving closer to the two. After blinking, Jongdae looked down at his fur mess, before shaking his head. </p><p>“I need to finish this.”</p><p>“Just go to sleep, I'll help you after you’ve rested.”</p><p>“No, I have to finish it.” Jongdae’s voice sounded frantic, his hands shaking as he tried to thread his needle again. He missed the hole again and again, not able to keep steady enough. Even Minseok was getting annoyed with the sight of his failure. </p><p>“If you need something to wear, you can borrow something from us.”</p><p>“No!” Jongdae snapped, hand slipping and stabbing himself with the needle. He let out a yelp, flinging the needle across the small table and clutching his hand. There was only a prick of blood, but clearly, it had hurt. “I have to finish, I need to finish.”</p><p>Luhan moved, grabbing hold of Jongdae’s chair and forcing him to turn around. Tears threatened to slip from the Beta’s eyes, his faint scent turning sour with fear. “Why are you doing this Jongdae?  Why are you being so stupid? You need to stop.” </p><p>“Luhan-”</p><p>“He’s hurting himself, Minseok, even you’re worried.” Luhan glazed at his mate, eyes filled with challenge, daring Minseok to stop him. When Minseok made no move, he looked back to Jongdae who was now crying. “Tell us, Jongdae.”</p><p>Jongdae slumped down, a look of pure defeat on his crying face. He let out a sob, shaking horribly as he tried to compose himself.  Minseok knelt down, taking the poor Beta’s hand. “We’re not mad Jongdae, we just want to know what is going on in your head.”</p><p>It took some time, but Jongdae managed to get a hold of himself enough to speak. He refused to look at either of the Alphas as he spoke. “I don’t want to be alone, I don’t want you guys to leave.” </p><p>“Why in the world would we leave Jongdae?” Minseok asked, confused by the other’s words. This place was nice, and Jongdae had been a wonderful wolf to live with. From how Luhan and he had acted, he couldn’t think of them doing anything that would tell Jongdae they wanted to leave. </p><p>“Because I’m not a pureblooded wolf. Everyone leaves when they realize how useless of a wolf I am.” Jongdae's voice rose as he spoke, the panic and anger showing. “No matter how much I do, what I do, they always end on leaving. I thought if I could do more, maybe someone would want to stay and not move on to the other pack. I’m tired of being alone.”</p><p>The room was filled with the sniffles from the beta.</p><p>It hadn’t even occurred to Minseok that Jongdae was of mixed blood, but it broke his heart to hear the other’s fear. Jongdae appeared to be the sweetest wolf, yet here he was suffering simply because of his blood. From what Minseok saw, the Beta already did more than enough, yet he saw himself as useless. </p><p>Without warning Luhan moved, picking up the Beta to both their surprise. Jongdae let out a squeak, clutching onto the Alpha’s shirt. “Luhan-” Minseok warned, not knowing what his mate was going to do. Yet the Alpha set Jongdae down on their bed, confusing the two even more. </p><p>He lightly grabbed Jongdae's chin, turning his head to his side and exposing his neck. He moved quickly, sinking his teeth into the Beta’s flesh, earning a loud gasp from Jongdae. Once Luhan was done cleaning the mark, Jongdae slipped his hand and touched it in a daze. “Why?” He asked, tears forming in his eyes again. </p><p>“I want to make sure you understand you will never have to be alone again.” His tone was soft as the Alpha ran his finger through the Beta’s hair. Instantly Jongdae went limp, allowing his instincts to take over as a freshly mated wolf. His gaze went foggy as he reached out for Luhan. </p><p>“You should have warned him first.” Minseok scolded, moving over to Jongdae’s other side. The Beta looked at him, eyes blinking. “We’ve both grown fond of you, I didn’t expect him to react like this though, I’m sorry.”</p><p>Jongdae slumped on Minseok, a lazy smile on his face in his altered state. Tears still spilled from his eyes, but there was a different feeling to it. The Beta and Luhan linked hands, Luhan, pretty much squishing the Beta between the two Alpha, the protectiveness already kicking in.</p><p>“I’m happy…” His words were slow, as if he was carefully picking them from his foggy brain. “I thought I was a fool for even thinking….” He trailed off. But he didn’t need to finish.</p><p>“You’re ours.” Luhan confirmed. “You saved us.”</p><p>Ah, Minseok smiled at Luhan’s simple words. They had fought tooth and nail to stay together, even in the horrid place. And Jongdae had freed them, giving them even more than they could have wanted. Yet he had wanted the opposite, the beta had wanted something concert, to ground him, to stay with him. And the two were more than willing to do that for him. </p><p>Jongdae had wanted a collar of sorts. When he came out of his high and after some talking, Minseok wanted to mark the opposite side of his throat where Luhan had done, perhaps making a pretty collar for him, showing him he was taken. </p><p>As the three of them cuddled in their bed, Jongdae getting all the affection and reassurance he needed, Minseok truly felt like he had found a home, a pack perfect for him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>In all honesty I've been feeling pretty depressed and unmotivated lately, but i think this turned out all right. Maybe one day when I'm feeling up to it all add an extra chapter of smut, but I'm not really feeling it at all and failed at it in this part. Still don't have a beta, so sorry if things are a mess.</p><p>Make sure to stay safe out there and drink lots of water.</p></blockquote></div></div>
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